Indicator



Patented Jan. 9, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INDICATOR Ralph M. Brokaw and Donald A. Getz, Toledo, yOhio Application August 25, 194,5, Serial No. 612,650

(Cl. 12S- 16) 2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to indicating devices, more particularly adapted to be used in connecf tion with indexes of the overlapping card type, commonly known as visible index card systems.

An object of this invention is to provide a device which may cooperate with a tray of over lapping cards for readily indicating and facilitate the following of a pre-selected continuity of entries on the cards.

Another object of this device is to provide a simple attachment for a tray of record cards whereby one may ybe guided in obtaining a predetermined series of entries from the cards.

Still another object of this device is to provide an indicator which not only may be readily attached and removed from a tray of record cards but which can be easily shifted to desired locations and yet be substantially heldin the shifted location regardless of the position of the tray.

Another object of this invention is to provide an economical indicating unit as an accessory for use in obtaining a pre-selected continuity of information from a visible index card system.

Other objects and advantages of this invention relating to the arrangement, operation and function of the related elements of the structure, to various details of construction, tc combinations of parts and to economies of manufacture, will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying vdrawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front elevation of a visible index card system and mounting tray having the device of the invention herein attached thereto;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line II-IL Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line Ill-III, Fig. 2, unattached to a tray;

Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 3, showing an alternative method of frictionally holding the slide in a predetermined position; and

Fig. 5 is a rear view of the slide of Fig. 4.

Heretofore a copyist has encountered diniculties in accurately following a pre-selected continuity of entries to be taken from a series of overlapping cards as in the' visible index type of systems. Loose straight-edges easily become misplaced and cannot be used when the tray is placed in a tilted or vertical position. The invention herein solves the problems in this procedure. K

Tray I 0 is provided with sides I2 and has a series of overlapping cards I 4 mounted therein, which cards carry any desired system of record thereon. As an example, the cards herein shown indicate quantities of merchandise units to be supplied different customers from month to month. Hence the cards have customer identication notations I6, monthly columns IB, and ration entries 20. In this example, the total amount of unitssupplied all customers for any one month can be readily followed by a device of the invention herein.

Strip 22, preferably `of thin, somewhat flexible sheet metal, forms a bridge spanning the tray l d, and has terminal spring offsets 24 for resiliently engaging the tray sides l2. These oisets may terminate in nish arcs 26. These offsets sufficiently grip the sides to hold the bridge in any predetermined position yet allow ready manual shifting of such bridge along the tray.

The bridge is provided with indicia 28 which collaborates with or is in program association with the indicia on the cards in forming a program and is herein shown as having the months identied and registering with the month columns on the cards.

A slide is provided for shifting along the bridge and comprises a plate 33 having one end turned upon itself to form a lip 32 embracing one edge of the bridgeand the opposite end of the plate being coniigured to provide a pair of spaced tabs or signal members 34 extending beyond the bridge with the portion of the plate therebetween 'bent upon itself to form a hook providing a pointer or indicator 36 extending over the bridge to cooperate with the indicia in determining placement of the slide.

` As the pointer is moved into location adjacent any one month, the tabs 34 will frame and isolate the corresponding column just above the bridge and any entry therein will appear in the space 38 between the signals or tabs clearly exposing the same and masking suicient adjacent area that such notation is conspicuous. As theY bridge is moved along the tray all other entries in the same column are clearly pointed out.

While the turned-over lip 32 and indicator 36 may provide sufficient grip of the bridge to prevent self-misplacement of the slide, means may be provided to assure against any such slippage when the instrument is in use. To this end, the bridge may have a protuberance 4U for each station and the indicator 36 provided with a detent 42 to engage the protuberance at a selected position. The plate 3l) may also be provided with an inwardly embossed rib 44 as a spring contact against the underside of the bridge which also may resist self-shifting of the slide.

It is to be understood that the above detailed description of the present invention is intended to disclose an embodiment thereof to those skilled in the art, but that the invention is not to be construed as limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of being practiced and carried out in various ways Without departing from the-spiritl of' the invention. The language used in the specication relating to the operation and function of the elements of the invention is employed for purposes of description and not of limitation, and it is not intended to limit the scope of the following claims beyond therequirements of the prior art.

What is claimed and it is desired to secureby United States Letters Patent:

l. In an indexing device, a tray having parallel side members to form a mounting means; a series of identical lined cards hingedly mounted in the tray. between the side members thereof in overlapping relation to expose a predetermined portion of the lower edge, said cards carrying a predetermined indexing' system thereon, abridge member spanning the tray in paralleli relationwith the lower edges of the cards nai/ingY depending spring oisets cooperating with the tray` with relation to the indicia thereon, whereby the bridge may: beemoved manually'along the tray to cooperate with each of the cardsl in seriatimV to isolate the desired notation thereon.

2. In an indexing device, a tray having parallel side members to form a mounting means, a series of cards mounted'in overlapping relation indicia on the bridgeY in between the sides of the tray, said. cards carrying a predetermined indexing system thereon, a bridge member spanning the tray in parallel relation: with the lower edges of the cards having depending spring oisets cooperating with the tray sides to form a frictional engagement therewith to allow manual Apositioning of the bridge member with reference to the cards, a slide on the bridge member having interengaging portionstoorm-a` frictional sliding relation therewith suitable for manual manipulation, indicia on the; bridge having an association with the index system on the cards, an indicating bracket on'theslide to isolate the notation desired in the indexing system on the cards, and detent means tohold thelslideon the bridge inzpredetermined position: withV relation to the indiciaV thereon, wherebythev bridge may be moved manually along the trayF to' cooperate Withi each. ci the cards: in seriatim to'. isolate the desired notation thereon;

RALPH M. BROKAW. DONALD A. GETZ.

REFERENCES CITED The followingv referencesk are of record in the file" ofthis' patentV UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name DateV 139,936 Ward et al. June 17, 1873- l,008`,481 Lopes Nov. 14, i911 1,272,149 Thompson Julyf, 1918 1,628,677 Morichard May i7', 192 2,202,639 ROSSO Maf; 223, 1940'- 2',311,052' Hurup Feb. 1S, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 430,589I Great Britain June 2l, 1935 

